Reaction gas turbine



A ril .12, 1932. L. s. MARKS 1,853,869

REACTION GAS TURBINE Filed Aug. '27. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EXHAUST.

Ranmvoq INVENTUR I .LIONEL S MARKs.

ATTORNEY April 12, 1932. L. s. MARKS 1,853,869

REACTION GAS TURBINE Filed Aug 27. 1927 '2 Sheets-She et- 2 INVEN TOR.

BY y fiaa ATTORNEY bone! 5- Marks.

Patented Apr. 12, v

UNITED A S PATENTPOFFICE i I h ms; museu I Application fled August :7, 1921. Serial K0. anima This invention relates to an internal combustion' engine, and more particularly to a gas turbine in which the compresion of a gaseous explosive mixture is accomplished '3 under centrifugal action,

medium being interspersed with charges of said-gaseous mixture for this purpose and the latter exploded while under the centrifugal compression, the subsequent expansion of the products of combustion acting on these liquid slugs resulting in a reactive force used in producing rotation of a turbo-element.

A general object of the invention is to pro-.

vide a pure reaction turbine of this type, and to this end contemplates maintaining the continuity of the'liquid slugs discharging slugs of a liquid from thecompressorl portion of the apparatusinto the explosion chamber portion thereof, as'in' the provision-of a suitable restriction in the path of flow. The invention has for a further object the proportioning o the masses of the liquid slugs and of the charges of the gaseous explosive mixture so that the velocity imparted to the liquid slugs relative to the rotatable element by-the expension of the burned gases in said rotatable element shall be approximately equal and opposite in direction to the peripheral velocityof the rotatable element; also, the pro f vision of suitable means of control of the 7 speed, power and'torque' developed by the Additional features 0% the inventurbine. tion will hereinafter be referred to. I In carrying out the invention, a rotatable v turbo-element embodying a series of outwardly-directed ducts or tubes is designed to have-alternately .delivered thereinto a charge of .the combustible mixture and a charge of a liquid medium afiordinlg slugs interspersed therewith for centrifuge y cominto a terminal combustion chamber forming a continuation of the said'ducts; In accordanoe with the invention,the passageway beisprovided with a suitable restriction,-which may consist merely in a constriction or Venturi formation of the'said passagewa or in specific and supplementary means t erefor which, however, should not be of such. anapressing the said mixture and discharging tween a said duct and its explosion chamberture asto destroy the continuity of the passmg slugs of liquid. The explosion, flpreferably,'should occur substantially at e moment when this restricted portion is sealed or lagged witha slu "oftherlgguidmedium; an the expansion the p acts of combustion is to be permitted to continue until the burned gases havecxpanded nearly or. quiteto atmospheric pressure. I

b -By proportlonin the masses of. the liquid to slugs to the gaseous mixture such that the velocity imparted to thesaid slugs relative to the rotatable element'throu h the expansion of the burned gases'sh be approximately equal and opposite in direction to the 65- peripheral velocity ofthe turbo-com ressor element, the absolute velocity of sai slugs leaving an expansion chamber willbe apf nates theneed of all devices for obtaining correct inter-relationship of rotative speeds asin the case of acombination reaction-- im ulse turbine. I I

t is desirable, also, inorder to avoid unis balanced forces on the turbine shaft, that there should be provided at least two liquid and two as admissions per revolution of the turbine, t e admission ports being arranged with equal angular liquid and the gas; but not necessarily with uniform angular spacing of all the admission ports; that is to say, the arrangement shown in which the angular interval between the liquid and the gas admission is substantially equal to the an ar interval between the gas and the following li uid admission is merely illustrative and a erence to thi arrangement is not necessary."

In order to facilitate the keeping of the slugs substantiall intactin their travel to the combustion, c amber and 'while they are being accelerated, said expansionchamber may assume the form of a tube of. suitable form and cross-section and as hereinafter disclosed. Moreover, the 'introdudzion or entrance to the compression chamber should be at such an'angle as to the shock of entry;and to further reduce thisshock, I t

"the admission of liquid-and the gaseous 1U intervals, both for the st ture. is to be accomplished in a manner such that admission of each compressing slug element is effected soon after the completion of the admission of the corresponding gaseous element. I

Provision is made, moreover, for suitably starting the rotation of the turbo-element,

and the introduction of the gaseous mixture and the liquid slugs thereto is to be deferred until a considerable rotational velocity has been acquired by the said element so that the work required'of the starter mechanism 1 control of both liquid and gaseous mixture,

and there is thus afl'orded great flexibility of operation as well as great simiplicity in control.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention: I I

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section taken substantially along the line 11, Fig. 2;

Fig.2 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along the line 2-2, Fig. 1, and

' inafter be more fully set forth.

are formed up into or provided with a suclooking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section of a modified form of compression and expansion duct;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary vertical sections of a duct end and associated explosion.

chamber illustrating additional means for minimizing back flow of the liquid medium employed, Fig. 4 setting forth the normal condition and Fig. ,5 the condition during the explosion'period.

Referrin' to thedrawings for a more detailed description of the invention, the novel gas turbine is shown to consist of a rotatable or turbo-element comprising a pair ofdisks 10 carried by a hub 11 adapted to rotate upon a stationary supporting bearing and distributing member 12. The latter is mounted centrall in the walls of a surrounding casing 13 avin a sump or collecting chamber 14 provi ed therein at the bottom for collecting spent liquid medium, as will here- The disks cession of more or less radially disposed ducts or compressor tubes 15 which extend from the hub portion substantially to the circumference of the rotor member or turboelement and terminate in an arcuate extension portion 16. As will hereinafter be more fully disclosed, these extension portions conpossible.

stitute explosion chambers for a suitable explosive gaseous medium which is compressed in the said ducts through slugs of a suitable liquid medium such as water, for example. To this end, the said explosion chambers are equipped with suitable ignition means as the spark plugs 17 which are screwed therein in the usual manner, but are intended to be continuously energized. The necessary electric current maybe supplied to the spark plug as through slip rings on the shaft and suitable connections such, for example, as shown in the patent to Shaw #523,734, granted July 31, 1894. These plugs, moreover, are

preferably so located in their combustion chambers that the explosion of the gaseous mixture occurs substantially at the instant when the inner end of the chamber and outer portion of the compressor duct thereof is most completely plugged with a liquid slug.

At their inner ends, the ducts are arranged to communicate with suitable pairs of reservoirs 18 and 19 in the distributing member 12 and adapted to supply respectively a gaseous medium and a liquid medium alternately to said ducts as their inner ends register with corresponding outlet ports 20 and 21 from the reservoirs. In order to avoid unbalanced forces on the turbine shaft, there should be provided at least two liquid and two gas admissions per revolution of the turbine, the admission ports being arranged with equal angular intervals, both for the liquid and the gas, but not necessarily with uniform angular spacing of all the admission ports. In the chamber provided by the said ducts, receiving alternately a charge of gas and a charge of liquid, there is effected the compression of the former under the centrifugal force applied to the slugs of liquid as the turbo-element rotates; and the entrance angle thereto for the introduction of a slug is such as to favor the formation of the liquid slugs and minimize the shock of entry as much as This shock may be further reduced by shaping the outer cylindrical surface of the distributor 12 in manner such that admission of a charge of gas follows soon upon the completion of the admission of a charge of liquid and vice versa. In Fig. 2 this is indicated by having the distributor periphery following each exit port cylindrical over a distance equal to the width of a duct inlet. From this point the radius of the distributor surface diminishes continuously until it merges in the exit port.

The compression chamber or tubular duct, moreover, is not necessarily of uniform crosssection, and may be reduced at its outer end, as shown in Fig. 3, where it merges into an arcuate or circumferentially disposed extension portion 16, which latter may be constructed to flare slightly outwardly. The

communication, furthermore, is restricted to assist in checking back flow of a slug, under I the action of the-explosiompressure, asin'; constructing the' same, of Ventu'r'i -fofrmatron- .as indicated at 22.

If a,' 'supplgmentary restriction iszfound necessary, t may be provided, 'forexample, as shown in figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings and wherein thereis indicated an obstruction member 23 .which is located -'ust beyond the 5 mounted for limited reciprocation a coo his obstruction rat ing sleeve or valve member 25 which as' a frust'ro-conical passageway 26 therethrough with the smaller end directed toward the ob struction but normally positioned beyond the.

same, as indicated in Fig. 4. Under the action of the high explosive pressure prevailing in the explosion chamber 16, when a charge of the gaseous medium is ignited, said valve will be forced inwardly toward the obstruction 23, being limited by'contact with the shoulder 27 of the Venturi wall, and assumes substantially the position indicated in Fig. 5 in which it more or less surrounds the outer conically headed endof said obstruction member. The restriction normally afforded by the venturi is thus momentarily increased a, to. an appreciable extent to'linsure against return flow should the venturi'constrictlon it- .self be inadequate for this purpose. It is to be understood, however. that no'complet'e closing of the communication is contemplated and no interruption in the continuity of a slug should be permitted to occur as a result.

Moreover, the explosion or expansion chamher 16 is to be of such form and cross-section that the liquid slugs'are maintained substantially intact while being accelerated therein and the velocity imparted thereto by the expansion of the burned gasesis to be substantially equal and-opposite in direction'to the peripheral velocity of thecentrifugal compressor or turbo-element. This condition may readily be attained by proportionmg the masses of the liquid and gaseous charges and, for example, in the manner hereinafter set forth.

In starting the turbine, a conventional self-starter device- 28 may be utillzed, the same being carried by the casing framing 29 and adapted: to mesh into. a gearwheel 30 of a sleeve extension of the hub 11. 'Sfild gear wheel 30 meshes also with a gear 31 on the power shaft 32 having mounted thereon a pump 33, which pump also is includedin a connection 34 shunted about the liquid conmotion 35 connecting the sump 14 with-the liquid reservoirs 19 ofthe distributing moml ber. A flow controlling member as thevalve 36 is included in the connection 35 and a similar valve 37 in the shunt connection 34 so that an initial pressure. 1y efl'eceted, through a further valve 39 prothe amount" liqluid supplied to the reservoirs therethrou' readily controlle Provision is made, also, for sending the liquid either directly to said reservoir-Silas through "the connection 35, or

through epump- 33 by which it may be maybe determined and suppliedunder the desired pressure and thus delivered into the com 'ressing ducts under This may be convenientvided in the Y-fitting 40' at thebeginning of the shunt. connection,- a lever arm or handle 41 being provided. for manual operation in,

shifting the circulation of the liquid. A

cooling device for the spent liquid may also 'be'includedbetween the sump and-the reser-.

voir, for example, as a radiator 42 located between said sump and the valve 39.

charge of gas supplied to the gas reservoirs 18 may be regulated. A'"variety of controls is thus afforded; and in starting the turbine with the self-starter 26, the liquid slugs need not be admitted until the turbine has been given a considerable rotational velocity,

whereby the workof the self-starter may be kept small. In 0 eration,'furthermore, the

'mass ratio of the liquid plug to the explosive gaseous mixture can be varied by varying either of these masses so as to give a greater I ratio of liquid to the gas, and thereby increase the starting .torque. The ratio of liquid to The gaseous medium is supplied from gas can equally well be diminished, if desired,

as the speed increases so as to give maximumefliciency when the deslred operating conditions are attained. The 'power developed can be controlled advantageously, also, by a simultaneous control of both liquid and gas; and the three elements of control aforesaid will thus be found to give great flexibility inoperation andalso great simplicity of ,control. V

Iclaim:

'1. .The method of doingwork on a rotat able element, which comprises centrifugally compressing therein an explosive gaseous medium by slugs of a liquid medium interspersed therewith, exploding the compressed gaseous mediunrand expanding it approximately to atmospheric pressure inthe presence of a slug tov expel 'thesame from the rotatable element, and proportioning the mass of. a slug to the mass of a corresponding velocity of the rotatableelement, whereby the -'s1ug issues with negligible absolute velocity.

2. The method of doing work on a rotat able element, which comprises centrifugally spersed therewith, exploding the compressed compressing therein an explosive aseous me dium by slugs of a 1i uid me 'um interspersed therewith, explo mg the compressed gaseous medium and expandin'git approximately to atmospheric pressure 1n the presence of a slug to expel the same from the rotatable element, and maintaining substantial- 1y intact the saidslugs, until expelled, with restriction of the flow thereof.

3. The method of doing work on a rotat able element, which comprises centrifugally.

compressing therein an explosive gaseous mediumby slugs of a liquid medium inter-' spersegl therewith, exploding the compressed gaseous medium and expanding it approx1- mately to atmospheric pressure in the presence of a slug to expel the same from the rotatable element, and maintaining substantially intact the said slugs until expelled, with restriction of the flow thereof and momentary increase of the restriction.

4. The method of doing work on a rotatable element, which comprises centrifugally compressing therein an explosive gaseous medium by slugs of a liquid mediumintergaseous medium, and expanding it approximately to atmospheric pressure in the presence of a slug toiexpel the same from the rotatable .element, and maintaining substantially intact the said slugs, until expelled, with restriction of the flow thereof and mo- .mentary increase of the restriction at the instant of explosion of the gaseous charge.

5. The method of doing work on a rotatable element, which comprises introducing alternately thereto a charge of an explosive gaseous"medium and a slug of a liquid medium, the latter being introduced soon after completion of the introduction of the former and centrifugally compressing the same, explodin the compressed gaseous medium and expan ing it approximately to atmospheric pressure in the presence of a slug to expel the means to receive from the distributing means alternate charges of the gaseous medium and the liquid medium and compressing the former by the latter, circumferentially disposed means to receive both media and provided with respective discharge orifices, flow re-' stricting means between the compressing means and the circumferentially disposed means, and ignition means located in the cir- -A combustion turbine, comprising a rotatable turbo-element having a succession of outwardly directed ducts, means to introduce alternate charges of a gaseous and a liquid medium into the ducts and the former being cumferentially disposed means for exploding the charge of the gaseous medium.

compressed therein by the latter, circumferentially disposed means in communication with the respective ducts and having discharge orifices, ignition means located therein for exploding a charge of the gaseous medium, and means each duct. 8. A combustion turbine, comprising 9. r0-

momentarily to constrict tatable turbo-element having a succession of outwardly directed ducts, means to introduce alternate charges of. a gaseous and a liquid medium into the ductsand the former being compressed therein by the latter, circum erentially disposed means in communication with the respective ducts and having discharge orifices, ignition means located therein for exploding a charge of the gaseous medium, and means momentarily to constrict each duct substantially at the junction of the circumferentially disposed means with the duct.

9. A combustion turbine, comprising a rotatable turbo-element having a succession of outwardly directed ducts, means to introduce alternate charges of a gaseous and a liquid medium into the ducts and the former being compressed therein by the latter, circumferentially disposed means in communication with .the respective ducts and having discharge orifices, ignition means located therein for explodin a charge. of the gaseous medium, and slidable means actuated by the explosive force of a charge of the gaseous mixture momentarily to constrict each duct.

10. A combustion turbine, comprising a rotatable turbo-element having a succession of outwardly directed ducts, means to introduce alternate charges of a gaseous and a liquid medium into the ducts and the former being compressed therein by the latter, arcuate extensions of the respective ducts and affording combustion chambers, ignition means located therein, and flow restricting means located at the entrance of each arcuate extension.

11. A combustion turbine, comprising a rotatable turbo-element having a succession troduce alternate charges of a gaseous and a liquid medium into the ducts and the former being compressed therein-by the latter,- arcuate extensions of the respective ducts and afl'ording combustion chambers, ignition means located therein, flow restricting means located at the entrance of an arcuate extension and including a reciprocal valve piece having a tapered passageway therethrough, and an obstruction member mounted in the arcuate extension adapted to fit into the smaller endof the tapered passageway to reduce its efiective'cross-sectiona'l area.

12. A combustion-turbine, comprising a 6 rotatable turbo-element having a successlon of outwardly directed ducts, means to introduce alternate charges of a gaseous and a liquid medium into the ducts and the former being compressed therein by the latter, are- 10 uate extensions of the respectiveducts and aifording combustion chambers, ignitionmeans located therein, flow restricting means located at the entrance of an arcuate extension and including a reciprocal valve piece 7 having .a tapered passageway therethrough,

and a fixed streamline obstructing member I havin a conical head adapted to cooperate with t e hollow sliding valve-piece.

13. A combustion turbine, comprising a rotatable turbo-element havinga succession of outwardly directed ducts,means to introduce alternate charges of a gaseous and a li uid medium into. the ducts and the former being compressed thereinby the latter, arcuate extensions of the respective ducts and afiording combustion chambers, said ducts "including a Venturi portion, ignition means located in the extensions, and additional flow restricting means located at the entrance of each arcuate extension.

.14.. A combustion turbine, comprising a rotatable turbo-element having a succession of outwardly directed ducts, means to introduce alternate charges of a gaseous and a liquid medium into the ductsand the former bemg compressed therein by the latter, areuate extensions ofthe respective ducts and affording combustion chambers, said ducts including a Venturi-portion, ignition means stricting means located at vthe entranceofeach arcuate' extension having a streamlik'e obstruction mounted beyond the throat of the Venturi portion and a slidable sleeve mounted in the arcuate extension with frustro-conical passageway therethrough, the smaller end thereof being adapted to surround the outer end of the said obstruction when the pressure in a combustion chamber 56 gxceeds that prevailing in a corresponding uct.

- 15. A combustion turbine, comprising a rotatable turbo-element having a succession of outwardly directed ducts, a means to introduce alternate charges of a gaseous and a liquid medium into the ducts and the former being compressed therein by the latter, the

' ducts diminishing in cross-sectional area toward their outer ends and terminating inn 60 Venturi portion, arcuate extensions communicating therewith, of increasing cross-sectionalarea toward their outer ends and constituting Iexplosion chambers, and ignition means located therein for exploding a charge of the gaseous medium.

said sump to said distribut' shunt about said sump connection, flow controlling means in said connections, a pump located in the extensions, additional flow re- 1 'to supply the same under 16. A combustion turbine, comprising a rotatable turbo-element having a 511006881011 of outwardly directed ducts, each having a combustion chamber, ignition means for exloding a charge in each combustion chum-- er, a surrounding casing into which said ducts are adapted to discharge, and having a sump-at the bottom for collecting the spent liquid, a distributing member about which 'said turbo-element rotates and provided with ports ada ted to register, with theinner ends-of the 'sai -ducts,'a source of supply of gaseous. explosive medium, a connection. therefrom to the distributing member, a

connection from said sump to said distributing member, a shunt about said sump connection, a pump driven by the turbo-element and located in the shunt, and means to divert the liquid from the sump through the shunt connection to supply the same under pressure to the distributing member. r r

17. A combustion turbine, comprising a ro- I A tatable turbo-element having a succession of outwardly directed each having .a combustion chamber, ignition means for exploding a charge in eachcombustion chamber, a

surrounding easing into .which said ducts are adapted to discharge and havinga sump at the bottom for collecting the spent liquid, a

distributing member about which said turboelement .rotates. and provided with ports adapted to register with the inner ends of the said ducts, a source of supply of gaseous ex-- plosive medium, a connection therefrom to the distributing member, a connection'from member, a

driven by the turbo-element and located in the shunt, and means to divert the liquid from the sump through the shunt connection tributin'g member.

18. A combustion turbine, comprising a rotatable turbo-element having a succession of outwardly directed ducts, each having a combustion chamber, ignition means for exploding a charge in each combustion chamher, a surrounding easing into which 'said ducts are adapted to discharge, and having a sump at the bottom for collecting the spent liquid, a distributing member about which said turbo-element rotates and provided with ports adapted to register with the inner ends of the said ducts, a source of supply ofgasepressure to the disous explosive medium, a connectionthererotatable turbo-element having a succasionof outwardly directed ducts, each having a combustion chamber, ignition means for exploding a charge in each combustion chem-- .from to the distributing member, a connecher, a surrounding easing into which said ducts are adapted to discharge and having a sump at the bottom. for collecting the spent liquid, and a distributing member about which said turbo-element rotates and provided with a chamber for supplying a liquid medium and a chamber for a gaseous explosive medium, said chambers having outlet ports adapted to register with the inner ends of the said ducts, a port for admittin the liquid medium being uncovered soon after completion of the uncovering of a port for the gaseous medium.

20. A reaction internal combustion turbine comprising a rotatable turbo-element having tangential 'rearwardly directed discharge outlets, means for feeding to said outlets slugs of liquid with charges of an explosive mixture behind said slugs and electric ignition means for igniting the mixture to expel said slugs rearwardly creating a reaction im pulse to rotate the'turbo-element.

21. In apparatus I for generating energy the combination with rotatable means for centrifugally compressing a gaseous medium by slugs of a liquid medium interspersed therewith, of an explosion chamber carried by the rotatable means and means for exploding the compressed gaseous medium while under centrifugal compression in said chamber.

22. In apparatus for generating energy the combination with rotatable means for centrifugally compressing a gaseous medium by slugs of a liquid mediuminterspersed therewith, ofmeans for igniting said mixture while under centrifugal pressure in said rotatable means and reaction means for con verting the explosion of said medium into energy.

23. A combustion reaction turbine compris ing a rotatable reaction element havin a radial passage and a combustion cham er in which said passage terminates, and means for admitting alternate charges of gas and liquid to said radial passages.

LIONEL S. MARKS. 

